Vol 3 Section 0297

Note: the “business” reason Sam felt necessary to go to London may be partially explained in his May 10 letter to Percy Spalding: Clara Clemens could be instructed there for a concert singing career with Blanche Marchesi. Dolmetsch points to another reason, not mentioned in any of Sam’s surviving letters—Jean’s epilepsy [300]. Jean had not responded to treatments in Vienna. Her seizures were occurring “as often as twice a day in 1899” [Hill 7]. Through contacts in Vienna the Clemens family heard of Jonas Henrik Kellgren (1837-1916) who had a “fashionable practice” in London and a sanatorium in Sweden based on remedial gymnastics—hardly curative for epilepsy, but little was known about the disorder at that time. Earlier plans had been to leave Vienna by late Sept. or early Oct., go to Scandanavia and perhaps St. Petersburg, Russia, then back to London and home, and undoubtedly included an evaluation by Kellgren. See also May 10 to Rogers. Sam later gave Poultney Bigelow credit for turning him on to Kellgren [July 30 to Walker].

Bertha von Suttner for Comite für Kundgebungen (Peace Society) sent a form letter invitation to a committee meeting; Sam sent it to Twichell with the above letter [MTP]. Note: Sam’s reply to von Suttner’s letter is possibly May 7.

May 1 Monday

May 2 Tuesday

May 3 Wednesday – At the Hotel Krantz in Vienna, Austria, Sam cabled James R. Clemens and Katharine Boland on their marriage: “CONGRATULATIONS KATHARINE JAMES. CLEMENS” [MTP].

Sam wrote on a calling card to Percy Spalding: “Enclosed please find the papers, duly executed” [MTP].

May 4 Thursday – At the Hotel Krantz in Vienna, Sam cabled Chatto & Windus:

PLEASE FIND MADAME BLANCHE MARCHESI THROUGH HER CONCERT AGENT ASK HERE WHERE SHE WILL SPEND THE SUMMER AND WILL SHE TEACH MY DAUGHTER TELEGRAPH ANSWER AND KEEP THIS PRIVATE = CLEMENS [MTP]. Note: see May 10.

Sam also replied to John M. Hay, at this time US Secretary of State. (Hay’s incoming not extant.)

Dear Excellenz: / This is only a line to thank you. It was fine of you to do that for me when your hands were so full. In fact I did not foresee how particularly full—by help of Samoa & Coughlan & so-on—they were going to be, or I should have waited a little.

I am going to let the P.O. Department rest & strengthen-up till I come in the fall; & meantime I will arrange to make myself the pet of the War Department. I am perfecting a scheme whereby I can cheaply & thoroughly exhaust the life-principle of the atmosphere & instantly kill the massed armies of the world & every living thing, within a radius of three hundred thousand miles around them. In fact I am already able to do this…but must postpone it & think further, for I do not know what to do with my family [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote Hay on Mar. 11 asking if he might get assurance of royalties from the Post Office for a scheme (to be later divulged) for it to issue postal cheques. See entry.

Sam also wrote to Joe Twichell

I have at last finished the Christian Science article & it has gone to be type-written. Somehow I continue to feel sure of that cult’s colossal future. You must remember that the human race is made up almost exclusively of people wholly destitute of anything really resembling a thinking-equipment, & that of the scattering few who have it hardly two in a million ever use it. This is not an extravagance of speech, but a cold calm fact. The Science has pirated the one feature which has kept Romanism alive & strong all the centuries—the money-lust & money-grubbing—& has added some taking things that will make for perpetuity. Among them a fresh new god to worship [MTP]. Note: Sam added that he thought Christian Science “stock” was the “Standard Oil of the future.” He enclosed a “scrap which Livy” made him “snip out of a letter to John Hay” [enclosure not yet found].

SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.